A fierce exchange emerged this week between U.S. Representative Riley M. Moore and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as Moore publicly challenged the Nigerian politician for what he described as “complicity” in the deaths of Christians during his tenure.
In a post on the X social media platform, Moore asked: “Governor – do you care to comment on your own complicity in the death of Christians?” He further accused Kwankwaso of implementing Sharia law that criminalised what he called “so-called blasphemy,” punishable by death.
Moore made his comments in response to Kwankwaso’s public statement regarding the United States’ renewed designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged religious persecution.
The former governor had stressed that Nigeria’s security challenges were not based on religion, ethnicity or politics, and urged U.S. support in technological assistance rather than military threats.
Kwankwaso, during his first term as Governor of Kano State in the year 2000, approved the implementation of Sharia-based laws for that state.
Moore holds that the introduction of those laws created an environment in which Christians were particularly vulnerable, saying: “You instituted Sharia law. You signed the law that makes so-called blasphemy punishable by death.”
In his earlier statement, Kwankwaso stressed the sovereignty of Nigeria and argued that external pressure, including military threats, risked deepening divisions in the country. He appealed for diplomatic engagement and technological collaboration instead of military action.
The U.S.’s move to label Nigeria a CPC came alongside comments by then-President Donald J. Trump that if religious killings continue, military intervention might be an option.
The controversy shines a spotlight on the complex interplay between religion, governance, and security in Nigeria. Analysts note that while there have been significant attacks on Christian communities in parts of the country, the question of whether this constitutes state-sponsored persecution (or “genocide” as some U.S. lawmakers have called it) remains fiercely debated.
In reaction, the Nigerian government has insisted that its constitutional guarantees protect religious freedom and that insecurity affects all citizens, regardless of faith. It rejects any suggestion of targeted genocide.
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As the dialogue intensifies, questions remain: Will former governor Kwankwaso respond to Moore’s direct challenge? Will U.S. policy toward Nigeria shift meaningfully on the basis of these claims? And how will Nigeria’s domestic political and religious actors handle the implications of the allegations?
